2023 Alaska Winter Activity Guide

Find the aurora forecast in The Alaska App, under the “Weather” menu item. Download for free.

The famed aurora borealis is even more eerily beautiful when you see it in person—and in Alaska, it can dominate the night sky with more dazzling, magical displays than you’ll find anywhere else in the world. Given the right conditions and viewing locale, these dancing ribbons of light may shimmer just overhead, ranging from subtle green columns to vast red curtains that fill the entire sky. Thousands of people travel to Alaska every winter to see and photograph this otherworldly polar phenomenon.

HOW TO SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS

Think of the experience as a quest, with the goal of witnessing one of nature’s grandest spectacles. After all, the lights can be elusive, so you must pursue them. But it’s an adventure that comes with a huge payoff.

You can only see the lights when it’s dark enough at night, which is from late August to early April. Check the weather forecast for clear skies, then check the aurora forecast to see if the lights are expected to be visible in your area: www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast. (You’ll also find the link to this forecast in The Alaska App!)

WHERE TO GO

Head out of town to avoid light pollution. Here are our favorite viewing spots in the Anchorage area:

1 Point Woronzof (10 min drive)

2 Glen Alps Trailhead (15 min drive)

3 Turnagain Arm (25-30 min drive) Pull-outs like Beluga Point and Bird Creek

4 Hatcher Pass (1.25 hr drive) North of Anchorage. Glenn Hwy Mp 49.5. North on Palmer - Fishhook Rd. to Hatcher Pass

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GUIDED NORTHERN LIGHTS VIEWING

5 Alaska Photo Treks (907-350-0251) offers the Anchorage Aurora Quest, the city’s longest-running northern lights photography tour. Learn how to photograph the northern lights among mountains, coastal landscapes, and boreal forest. A professional Alaskan photographer instructor/guide will transport you to a variety of locations that are optimal for aurora viewing. Non-photographer guests are welcome. If you don’t have a camera, you can still enjoy the northern lights with a hot beverage under a blanket and have your picture taken with these dancing lights! Select a single night or opt for a multi-day pass to increase your odds of seeing the aurora.

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